Where Humanity Lurks
by lillinfields
Summary: Between Death & Demons Life is Found. Xander Wants a New Life. X-OVER W/ CSI Vegas
1. Chapter 1

Xander begins work as a csi

**Where Humanity Lurks: Between Death & Demons Life is Found**

Author: LilJei

Fandom: BTVS & CSI but totally AU and mashed timelines

Characters: Xander etc

Rating: PG 13 eventually

Word Ct: 1000+  
Author Notes/Summary:  The show and characters are not mine but in my mind, Xander needs a new life. After 5 years on the African plains, he is now on a Council mandated sabbatical. Bored out of his mind a vacation infomercial gives him all he needs to choose his new path. PS: Please Leave a Review w/ a suggestion for the CSI Hottie you'd like Xan to hook up with.

Chapter One

Xander wiped at the sweat dripping into his eyes. He had to smile at that one, having 2 eyes again was such a mind trip. Africa had been one long torturous and amazing adventure after another. It was after saving a young man from a nasty monster who liked to munch on virgins that he'd been given the gift of his sight back. The village shaman had been very grateful for the boy's rescue and had taken it upon himself to give the hero of the hour a gift of worth and what a gift it was. Waking up and blinking with both eyes had been such a treat. It was his goal now to always treasure his life and his restored sight, and all of that clichéd nonsense that he seemed to thrive upon.

Now nearly 6 years after Sunnydale's demise he had finally been given a break from the wilds of Africa. Or so Giles thought, it was for his own good he'd been told. It was something about the council being worried about him going native. Only the properly stuffy British could call it that and not think themselves racist at the same time. So now, here he was staring at the bottom of a glass in a cloudy bar trying to figure his life out. He was almost 30 for god sakes, what was he supposed to do now? He had thought of sitting around in his council flat being bored all day but had quickly slapped that idea down hard.

He was not going to go all Buffy when it was still his watch or up to him at all. No, no, no, no shoe shopping or lazy days for this old man. But that still didn't help him plan his life out for the next year or so of required rest. The council now gave each of the new founding members a mandatory sabbatical that had to last a year or more. There hadn't been any time limits placed for how long after that but Xander doubted that it would ever matter to him. Buffy might've given up the good fight but he never would. Demons and death that was the hands the fucking fates had dealt him. And he'd long ago given up on changing things now or had he spoken too soon Xander thinks bemusedly.

He had looked up at the bars one TV and been mesmerized by the infomercial playing on the screen. It was something about Vegas and how much fun it could be at any time of the day. "Hmph" Xander had to snort at that one, even during the day the world wasn't safe. But even the smartest and richest people could delude themselves. Xander had never been one of the delusional. First his parents had taken away his childhood and then Sunnydale's nightlife had taken his innocence along with everything else. In the end that wasn't the point, what had actually caught his eye in the commercial were the cops working in the back round. Now why hadn't he thought of that Xander has to wonder to himself? With 2 good eyes, his chances at working in any field were much improved. And thanks to the New Council's manipulations, he had the equivalent of a PHD in multiple fields, including criminal justice. He had thought that part the funniest, considering the Dale's PD back in the day. Who'd have thought that Xander or any of them really could be qualified in any field other than death? Now here he was more than 10 years since he had first found out about slayers, demons, and his favorite of them all vampires and he was more than qualified to any number of things. The options he now favored was the human equivalent of what he already did. "That does it," Xander says, now determined to change his luck he pushes himself away from the bar and after leaving a tip heads out into the black night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After he's done packing AGAIN Xander drops down onto the bed in his little flat, plain exhausted. Looking at the ceiling he thinks to himself "Am I crazy?" Xander can't decide if, after 5 years in the African killing fields and spending his teens fighting demons whether or not his plan to catch human bad guys had merit. He knows he could do it, he has a ton of experience in a ton of different areas all of which could potentially make him one badass cop, but he just didn't know. Maybe he should talk to the Scoobies before heading back into danger and death once more. But in reality he couldn't care what they'd say, they hadn't been close since graduation 10 years ago. War had made them brethren and brothers in blood but hadn't done much for the compassionate or carefree natures that none of them had ever really had. Their friendships had fallen by the wayside for the good of the cause and none of the gang had ever sought to change that, including him. Giles kept them all in touch with each other via being a physical touchstone for them but other than that, there was just too much bad blood for him to think their opinions of much worth.

Wondering about it now Xander thought maybe his hesitation was just the fear of change cropping up again. When he'd left for Africa, he hadn't felt fear or much of anything at all. So numb and wounded in just about every way inside and out Xander was determined to find a dark place to escape, and what better hole than the Dark Continent. His opinions of what he needed and wanted in life had changed over the 5 years in Africa because his body and mind finally had a chance to heal. He'd spent months wandering the wild lands by himself and it wasn't until a year into his stay that things had changed. With his, rescue of Nintair the village boy and the subsequent return of his 2nd eye his outlook and attitude had changed. A positive outlook and compassion became his mainstay in life; he forgot the pity and brought on sympathy. People all around him were dying of nasty diseases and starvation; he had no time to pity himself or others.

He had found and worked with slayers over his 5-year stint but that had never been his focus. He had wanted to help save humanity by daylight and human means as well. He was finally sick of the darkness that had been a constant intrusion in his life since his birth on the Hell mouth. While he saw the human pain and despair, all around him he had been determined to help. Working with aid organizations and any village he passed, he used whatever skills necessary to improve life wherever he passed through. By day he was a recognized humanitarian and by night a feared hunter.


End file.
